Is Aspartame really THAT bad?

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  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    You probably need to make it a personal decision whether it's good for you or not. In reality, aspartame is indeed a chemical, not a "food". So is margarine. There is no benefit whatsoever in either one, and chemicals in the body = chemical reactions in the body. So, it's a decision, basically.

    Personally, I do not feel comfortable with aspartame. I have read quite extensively on it, and I am convinced that it is not something I want to ingest. I don't do margarine, or aspartame, or msg, fillers, etc, if I can help it. On occasion something slips past, and I have been known to enjoy the occasional Tito's vodka and crystal light lemonade, but I don't make any of those substances a regular habit.

    There really arent any drinks (beyond Crystal Light Pure) that use stevia sweeteners, but I will tell you that if you try Truvia, it's pretty amazing! Natural, and sugary tasting.....

    As far as posters go: y'all check out the literature about what margarine REALLY is, then tell me that if a certain company (Monsanto) wanted us to believe that aspartame is ok, then wouldn't they be able to convince us (like with margarine) that it is perfectly ok? Especially us dieters, who have made a lifetime of looking for the "quick fix" that doesn't "hurt".....

    Well considering it was the American Diabetic Association that lobbied to have aspartame put back on the market....probably not a company conspiracy. And, I know what margarine is haha...it's not a chemical. Well I mean, it is in the way anything else is a chemical. But I'd like to know what else it might be aside from a hydrogenated oil.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
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    I think its almost unavoidable on a diet. But obviously drinking 8 cans of diet soda per day is going to have a bit more of an impact than a low fat yogurt or a sugar free gum!

    Considering we all got here cos we fed our bodies with copious amounts of sugar/carbs/alcohol/crap in the first place, causing all sorts of chemical/hormonal inbalances, I really dont see how a teaspoon of aspartme per day is going to kill us.

    But then again, I'm learning that moderation is the key. If you get headaches etc, then you have an allergy to it, so you'll have to stop using it. Like anything else, we are all complex creatures and have vast and varying reactions to just about everything..........

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    regardless of cancer or anything else, all artificial sweeteners have been shown to mess up brain chemistry around food because you taste sweetness and your body things it is getting calories but then it gets no calories so the hormones that are released to start digestion go to waste and your body loses its sensitivity to sweetness, better put...we naturally have a sugar "limit" where we feel satisfied after eating usually a small amount of something sweet, when we continually eat sweet things that have no sugar we think we are tricking our body but our body knows there are no calories and we start to become desensitized to sweetness, so then when you do eat something sweet you tend to overeat and over eat. artificial sweeteners are also thought to be linked to insulin sensitivity....again because your body does not get the sugar increase it expects.

    in my opinion it is ALWAYS better to eat the real stuff and learn to be in touch with your appetite and it then becomes easier not to over eat and what not because you feel satisfied.

    our bodies are way smarter than we give them credit for. there's no use trying to trick them with artificial sweeteners period, let alone all the other unknown risk of pumping those chemicals into your body day in and day out in my opinion.
    That's not true. There are no studies that actually prove anything of the sort. There are studies that show that people that drank diet sodas were overweight, and what you explained is one of the potential theories they put forward to explain it, but they've never been able to prove any actual causation at all. Those studies are basically the equivalent of saying because the sky is blue everyday when the grass grows, it's the blue sky and not sunlight that helps grass grow.

    Not true. Read.


    http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=4271246&page=1

    http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=2554
    Neither of those studies show anything conclusively. One of the articles freely admitted they needed more study to prove anything, and the other article didn't seem to prove anything conclusively, other than trying to justify why they couldn't recreate the results they had with rats when they studied with people.

    Which is pretty much my point, no studies have conclusively proven anything.
  • Lexino
    Lexino Posts: 153 Member
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    I think it affects different people different. I have never gained weight from it (in fact I've lost 50lbs on it before, where most of my diet contained aspartame), I don't get headaches, or stomach aches, however regular soda does that to me. But I also know people who do have bad side effects from it. I have recently reduced it in my diet, but that's because I decided to try only water and cut all diet soda out. I just think it depends on the person. That's my opinion! :)
  • Countrymade
    Countrymade Posts: 183 Member
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    Yes it can be (living proof)

    living proof? what do u mean?
    I am livng proof that it can be that bad. I suffered with headaches that would last for wks on end before doc's narowwed down my symptoms to food related. Cut out the aspartame and my heachache stopped within 72 hours. Not saying I wont have a crystal light now and again but no diet soft drinks, yogurt.... wherever it replaces sugar on a regular basis.

    Me too. I was getting so many headaches from the yogurts I was eating with the artificial sweetners in them. I stopped eating them and started eating the real thing and the headaches stopped
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    Effect of long term intake of aspartame on antioxidant defense status in liver.
    Author(s): Abhilash, M; Paul, M V Sauganth; Varghese, Mathews V; Nair, R Harikumaran
    Abstract: The present study evaluates the effect of long term intake of aspartame, the artificial sweetener, on liver antioxidant system and hepatocellular injury in animal model. [....Details of Experimental Method...] It can be concluded from these observations that long term consumption of aspartame leads to hepatocellular injury and alterations in liver antioxidant status mainly through glutathione dependent system. Copyright 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Aspartame administered in feed, beginning prenatally through life span, induces cancers of the liver and lung in male Swiss mice.
    Author(s): Soffritti, Morando; Belpoggi, Fiorella; Manservigi, Marco; Tibaldi, Eva; Lauriola, Michelina; Falcioni, Laura; Bua, Luciano
    Abstract: Aspartame (APM) is a well-known intense artificial sweetener used in more than 6,000 products. Among the major users of aspartame are children and women of childbearing age. In previous lifespan experiments conducted on Sprague-Dawley rats we have shown that APM is a carcinogenic agent in multiple sites and that its effects are increased when exposure starts from prenatal life. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of APM to induce carcinogenic effects in mice. [...Details of Experimental Method...] The results of the present study confirm that APM is a carcinogenic agent in multiple sites in rodents, and that this effect is induced in two species, rats (males and females) and mice (males). No carcinogenic effects were observed in female mice. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:1197-1206, 2010. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

    Source: Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge MEDLINE Database
  • CoCoMa
    CoCoMa Posts: 906 Member
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    Funny, and serious discussions here. I personally cannot ingest aspartame due to headaches, and dizziness, but if you don't experience the side effects, then go for it. In the body, aspartame converts to aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. People seem to be fine with the two amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine), but tend to freak out at the mention of methanol. However, you’d be surprised that many foods that we consume contain methanol, in miniscule doses of course.

    I suggest doing your own mini clinical trial (that’s what I did) and don’t rely too heavily on internet info.
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
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    It's artificial. End of story as far as I'm concerned :P
  • maryzcontrary
    maryzcontrary Posts: 70
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    Ok, well it seems we have a Devils' Advocate in the thread!! So, I will re-phrase my comment from earlier on where I state that margarine is a chemical. I am willing to be "wrong", so that's ok....to me, though, personally - and it is a personal decision based on information I am happy to share, so that YOU, dear reader, might make an informed decision!- I believe that the chemical process that creates margarine alters it to the point where it is no longer a food, but a chemical.

    Split those hairs as you will, Devils' Advocate~~I'll stick to whole food.


    http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/09/29/the_good_the_bad_and_margarine.htm

    http://www.naturalnews.com/021183_ADA_the_ADA_diabetes.html
  • SKP1986
    SKP1986 Posts: 392 Member
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    I just use truvia and stevia whenever I can and sugar when I can't. Usually sugar in the raw. It just tastes better to me.

    I stay away from aspartame and the like just because I get headaches if I have too much of it. Other than that, I haven't had any adverse effects.
  • lmaharj
    lmaharj Posts: 82 Member
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    It is to me because I'm severely allergic.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Ok, well it seems we have a Devils' Advocate in the thread!! So, I will re-phrase my comment from earlier on where I state that margarine is a chemical. I am willing to be "wrong", so that's ok....to me, though, personally - and it is a personal decision based on information I am happy to share, so that YOU, dear reader, might make an informed decision!- I believe that the chemical process that creates margarine alters it to the point where it is no longer a food, but a chemical.

    Split those hairs as you will, Devils' Advocate~~I'll stick to whole food.


    http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/09/29/the_good_the_bad_and_margarine.htm

    http://www.naturalnews.com/021183_ADA_the_ADA_diabetes.html

    Hah, I'm not playing Devil's Advocate. I'm playing, I'm halfway through my PhD and I've taught this stuff. This is not a hobby, but my livelihood.
  • Nikkiairforcewife
    Nikkiairforcewife Posts: 164 Member
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    I'd rather not choose a chemical alternative. I can see being wary of sugar due to the diabetes in your family. There's diabetes on my dad's side of the family. And my husband's family also has diabetes. So my poor kids need to be extra-vigilant.

    I say, enjoy a little sugar now and then. Keep it in moderation. But to me, chemicals seem like a bad idea. Avoid them if you can.
  • maryzcontrary
    maryzcontrary Posts: 70
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    Now, what makes you think I was talking about YOU? Do we see the Devil in your details? haha :wink:
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
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    To date, everything I've read, and I've read a lot, suggests that aspartame in super large quantities is not good for rats and mice. So if you're a rodent, I wouldn't live off the stuff. Otherwise I believe it's personal choice.

    If you're sensitive to it, don't use it. If you get no bad reactions go for it.

    I'm also curious to know how people who say chemicals are bad for you manage to get through life these days without them.
  • suebounds
    suebounds Posts: 4
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    I used to have super-aids, but Aspartame cured it!
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
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    I just love unsolicited advice. It's my favorite thing in the whole wide world.

    I dunno. Maybe I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. But I keep thinking moderation. It's not bad if you consume it in moderation. Someone on here said it best. If you're sensitive to it, don't use it. Otherwise, have at it.

    Of course, sometimes I get annoyed with moderation. I heard a saying once...moderation in all things, including moderation.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    To date, everything I've read, and I've read a lot, suggests that aspartame in super large quantities is not good for rats and mice. So if you're a rodent, I wouldn't live off the stuff. Otherwise I believe it's personal choice.

    Word!

    You and me, baby, ain't nothin' but mammals... but not all mammals react the same way to the same things.

    Case in point: http://www.wisegeek.com/which-foods-are-toxic-to-cats-and-dogs.htm
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
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    I used to have super-aids, but Aspartame cured it!

    It's just dormant, and will come back twice as strong because of the increased aspartame ingestion. BE AFRAID!
  • Strive2BLean
    Strive2BLean Posts: 300 Member
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    YES! I certainly believe it's that bad and wouldn't dare eat anything that contained this poisonous chemical. Sugar is natural and in moderation will not kill you. Enough said.

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